A. Area of Invention
The present invention relates to novelty garments bearing indicia and using hook and pile surfaces.
B. Prior Art
Garments of the type containing selectably removable and replaceable identifying characters or indicia are known in the art as, particularly, are represented by U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,974 (1969) to Culmone, entitled Removable Identifying Characters For Clothing; U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,233 (1991) to Hall, entitled Garment With Indicia; U.S. Pat. Des. No. 333,030 (1993) to Wilkes, entitled Garment Attachable Patch; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,461 (1995) to Wilmers, entitled Interactive Clothing With Indicia And Cover Panel.
A product bearing substantially similarity in concept to Culmone, above, is sold by the Alpha-T Company in the United Kingdom as what is known as the Alpha.T Shirt. Therein, is provided a hook-and-pile chest panel and hook-and-pile backed letters and numerals with which to write one""s own slogans, messages or explicitives, and to broadcast them to an unsuspecting public or xe2x80x9ca special someonexe2x80x9d according to on-line advertising of Alpha.T (see www.wannit.co.uk/acatalog/online-catalog-Alpha-T-Shirt). The Alpha.T shirt is usable and the letters or terms thereon can be changed as frequently as changes in one""s mood. However, as above noted, the Alpha.T shirt is technically similar, if not identical, to the 1969 teaching of Culmone above.
Wilkes represents a simple enhancement of the concept of Culmone in that an entire patch is provided to a garment wherein the patch itself is provided with hook-and-pile means onto which word or phrase containing strips are adhered.
The above patents to Hall and Wilmers employ the use of fixed indicia which are permanently printed upon the shirt or garment, and a second indicia which is normally hidden from view. In the context of an interactive game, a second party must then attempt to guess the content thereof. The present invention, while employing a first indicia, as is more particularly described below, also employs a second indicia although not one which is pre-established and which is to be revealed by a player of a xe2x80x9cgamexe2x80x9d associated with such interactive clothing. Rather, the present invention represents a means by which a user thereof, or one acting with the approval of the user, may express one""s mood however, not generally as in the case of Colmone or the Alpha T shirt but, rather, as the object of a sentence fragment ending with a preposition, such that the message thereby projected by the user of wearer of the garment, or one acting with the approval thereof, is far more focused and particular, than is the case with the shirt of Culmone or the Alpha T shirt, since the selectably second indicia thereof is the object of a preposition of a particular sentence, as opposed to a disembodied noun, verb, or explicitive as is the case in the Alpha T shirt. Further, because of the prepositional sentence which precedes the object phrase of the selectable second indicia, a second party, acting with the consent of the wearer, may express his or her opinion with regard to what the appropriate object of the sentence object phrase should be in a given circumstance and given relationship which may exist between a party of the first part (the wearer of the garment) and a party of the second part, i.e., one wishing to become xe2x80x9cinteractivexe2x80x9d with the party of the first part.
For the above reasons, the present invention addresses a long-felt need in the area of garments having removable identifying characters or phrases.
The instant invention pertains to an apparel-related entertainment system comprising an article of clothing having pre-printed thereon a first indicia comprising a sentence segment including a noun, a verb, and a preposition and, therebeneath, a strip of hook-and-pile material. The system further includes a packet of letters of the alphabet, each provided on surfaces having a backing comprising a hook-and-pile material, each of said surface is proportioned for press-fittable placement upon and within said strip on said article of clothing to, when positioned upon said strip, form a second indicia comprising an object or object phrase of said preposition to thereby complete a sentence including said sentence fragment of said first indicia.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an interactive apparel-related entertainment system in which a mood or feeling of the wearer of the apparel or one acting with the consent thereof may complete an object of a prepositional sentence and, thereby, express one""s mood or feeling at that time with regard to any given subject.
It is another object to provide a garment with fixed and non-fixed categories of indicia thereupon to effectively enable selectively different slogans, messages and the like to be communicated interactively with others within a party or entertainment setting.
It is another object of the invention to provide a form of novelty clothing which may be used to facilitate the physical contact between a wearer thereof and a second party participating in the interactive use of an indicia associated with such a garment.
It is a further object to provide an interactive apparel system of the above type which may be used at sporting or athletic events to express preferences or information with respect thereto.
The above and yet other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description of the Invention and Claims appended herewith.